Weapon choice advice for a halfling thief

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Anders

Difficult for the halfling, unless he has a stepladder.

DF doesn't really go into that, but if you feel like it, it's not like thieves spent a lot of points on their weapon skills, so just take an off-template weapon skill. I suggest a dueling glaive, that works nicely to hit people in the head. Or use a quarterstaff if you prefer crushing damage, and get that nice staff parry bonus.

[corwyn]

Originally Posted by ArchonShiva

The crossbow shouldn’t do 1d+2. You can have a stronger PC load a crossbow (or two) for you between fights using a goat’s foot, and have it do 2d+5(2)pi off a relatively common ST 17, using $6 fine bodkin bolts.

On top of that, you can add a sight to bring up Accuracy to +5, Balanced (relatively inexpensive on a $150 weapon) for +6, and +1 skill with balanced bolts (+$8 per shot). If you expect to be able to set up, a crossbow rest for another bump.

By this point you’re cancelling the entire penalty for a skull shot, which multiplies ~12 damage by x4 after half DR.

Makes a pretty nice opening for backstabbing.

[lachimba]

Weaponmaster knife means you should use a knife.

Done.

[Tinman]

Originally Posted by lachimba

Weaponmaster knife means you should use a knife.

Done.

This!
Also, I'd go for sling for ranged too!

[martinl]

Originally Posted by Tinman

This!
Also, I'd go for sling for ranged too!

Throwing knives.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by martinl

Throwing knives.

That Cornucopia Sheath is rather expensive though... unless it's shuriken.

[martinl]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

That Cornucopia Sheath is rather expensive though... unless it's shuriken.

Do gninja stars benefit from WM:Knife?

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by martinl

Do gninja stars benefit from WM:Knife?

Actually, as written there are zero weapons that benefit from WM:Knife (it's a 20 point WM, thus applying to one specific weapon, not one class of weapons. There is no weapon called a 'knife', there's just 'large knife', 'long knife', and 'small knife'). I would assume the intent is that you should specify which type of knife it actually works with, probably 'large knife'.

However, star shuriken are under the shuriken skill, not the knife skill, so there is no logic by which they would be covered.

In any case, it doesn't sound like the character has WM(knife)

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Actually, as written there are zero weapons that benefit from WM:Knife (it's a 20 point WM, thus applying to one specific weapon, not one class of weapons. There is no weapon called a 'knife', there's just 'large knife', 'long knife', and 'small knife'). I would assume the intent is that you should specify which type of knife it actually works with, probably 'large knife'.

I tend to ignore that being that Knife class weapons are so vastly inferior the PC who takes this Weapon Mastery needs a bit of a boost.

However, star shuriken are under the shuriken skill, not the knife skill, so there is no logic by which they would be covered.

This is true. I'd probably require a bump up to Weapon Master [25] points to include Shuriken.

In any case, it doesn't sound like the character has WM(knife)

As though that is going to stop the idle speculative builders in this forum...

[Harald387]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Actually, as written there are zero weapons that benefit from WM:Knife (it's a 20 point WM, thus applying to one specific weapon, not one class of weapons. There is no weapon called a 'knife', there's just 'large knife', 'long knife', and 'small knife'). I would assume the intent is that you should specify which type of knife it actually works with, probably 'large knife'.

As written, 'All Knives' benefit from WM: Knives [20]. See Adventurers p.54.